Freshman QB leads USC against No. 1 Notre Dame

LOS ANGELES - Not many young quarterbacks would even have the audacity to imagine making their first career starts under the circumstances surrounding Max Wittek on Saturday.

The freshman is replacing Matt Barkley, an injured senior who has claimed most of the career passing records at Southern California. He's facing Notre Dame (11-0), a storied football power with a No. 1 ranking and the nation's most feared defense.

The Irish need just one more win to book a spot in the national title game, and the struggling Trojans (7-4) have lost three of four. Yet Wittek also has arguably the best receiving duo in the nation catching his passes and a sold-out Coliseum firmly at his back.

If the enormity of this occasion is scaring Wittek, he hasn't shown it a bit.

No. 2 Alabama vs. Auburn

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - So much has changed since the last time Alabama welcomed Auburn into Bryant-Denny stadium.

The second-ranked Crimson Tide were victims of the largest comeback in Iron Bowl history two years ago. Alabama is the team with flourishing Southeastern Conference and national title aspirations going into Saturday's game.

The Tigers bear little resemblance to the team that Cam Newton rallied from 24 points down two years ago on their way to a national title.

No. 3 Georgia vs Georgia Tech

ATHENS, Ga. - Aaron Murray has already received some lofty praise, should he decide to enter the NFL draft.

That discussion will have to wait, however.

The junior quarterback still has plenty of work to do for No. 3 Georgia.

Murray has guided the Bulldogs (10-1) to the brink of playing for a national championship. If they can beat rival Georgia Tech on Saturday and No. 2 Alabama the following week in the Southeastern Conference title game, then it's on to Miami for a shot at No. 1.

No. 4 Ohio State vs No. 20 Michigan

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Michigan-Ohio State was just another game, for the most part, until Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler helped transform it into the over-the-top grudge match called "The Game."

Now, more than 40 years later, two coaches steeped in the rivalry — each more than willing to toss a little disrespect toward the other side — will be prowling the sidelines in the 109th meeting on Saturday.

Just like Hayes and Schembechler, Michigan's Brady Hoke and Ohio State's Urban Meyer are Ohio natives who don't do a very good job of hiding the fact that they can barely abide their chief rival.

No. 5 Oregon at No. 16 Oregon St.

CORVALLIS, Ore. - With so many scenarios for how the season may — or may not — play out, No. 5 Oregon was focused only on Oregon State and the 116th Civil War.

Oregon's march toward the national championship game detoured last Saturday with a 17-14 overtime loss to Stanford. Now, even the team's shot at the Pac-12 championship is in jeopardy.

Saturday's Civil War at Reser Stadium is a must-win for Oregon (10-1, 7-1) if they want to keep their hopes for a fourth straight Pac-12 title alive. But the Ducks will need UCLA to help with a victory over Stanford in Los Angeles. To be back in the mix for a national championship berth, they'll also need USC to topple undefeated and top-ranked Notre Dame.

No. 9 Texas A&M vs Missouri

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin doesn't have to say much this week to motivate his team.

The ninth-ranked Aggies (9-2, 5-2 SEC) know what's at stake as they aim for their first 10-win season since 1998, and try to break a three-game losing streak to Missouri.

Sumlin says: "We're playing a team that no one on this football team has ever beaten. ... That'll be enough to get our attention right there."

Sumlin also knows that his team can't take Missouri (5-6, 2-5) lightly with the Tigers needing a win to become bowl eligible.

Because of a scheduling quirk, these Southeastern Conference newcomers are playing each other in College Station for the third straight season.

No. 11 Standford at No 15 UCLA

PASADENA, Calif. - UCLA and Stanford couldn't really be blamed for looking back or looking ahead this week.

The Bruins and Cardinal insist they're only looking at each other.

Both schools are basking in the glow of thrilling victories that would have been appropriately triumphant caps to their regular seasons. Instead, they've still got to face each other on Saturday — and probably again next week, too.

No. 12 Clemson vs No. 13 South Carolina

CLEMSON, S.C. - Steve Spurrier thought people at South Carolina spent too much time focused on Clemson. So Spurrier says he needed to change the mindset.

The Gamecocks coach had to get players and fans to buy into the idea it was not a one-game season. It's working.

No. 13 South Carolina (9-2) will try for its landmark fourth-straight series win over No. 12 Clemson (10-1) at Death Valley on Saturday night.

If the Gamecocks pull off the victory, it would be only the second time its happened in the series - the other was from 1951-54.

Spurrier says he thinks "we take it less seriously than we used to. He says "they overdid" prior to his arrival.

No. 14 Oklahoma vs NO. 22 Oklahoma St.

NORMAN, Okla. - Landry Jones wouldn't consider his career as Oklahoma's starting quarterback to be a mixed bag.

Entering his final home game Saturday night against No. 22 Oklahoma State (7-3, 5-2 Big 12), Jones chooses to focus on the highs he's experienced with the 14th-ranked Sooners (8-2, 6-1) and not the occasional fierce criticism he's endured.

No. 19 Louisville vs. UConn

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville's seniors have a simple reason for wanting to win Saturday's home finale over Connecticut.

It hasn't been done in a while.

A victory would be the seniors' first in three tries under coach Charlie Strong. The No. 19 Cardinals (9-1, 4-1 Big East) can also achieve double-digit victories for the fourth time in school history, all since 2001.

Staying within reach of league-leading Rutgers entering next Friday's showdown in New Jersey adds more motivation for one of the nation's smallest senior classes. Louisville has 13 overall and just 10 on scholarship, and half of them began their careers as walk-ons.

No. 21 Rutgers at Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH - Rutgers has been playing football for more than 140 years. Few games, however, have carried the importance of Saturday's trip to Pittsburgh.

The 21st-ranked Scarlet Knights (9-1, 5-0 Big East) can clinch at least a share of the Big East title if they can beat the Panthers (4-6, 1-4) and can win it outright if they win and No. 19 Louisville loses to Connecticut.

Coach Kyle Flood says the stakes should help his team block out the distraction of the program's move to the Big Ten in 2014. The school announced its intentions this week.

No. 25 Miss. State at Ole Miss

OXFORD, Miss. - There's much at stake in this year's Egg Bowl.

No. 25 Mississippi State (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) is trying to win four in a row in the rivalry for the first time since the 1940s when the teams meet on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Mississippi (5-6, 2-5) is one victory away from bowl eligibility for the first time since 2009.

Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen says what makes the rivalry so special is there aren't many areas of the Magnolia State that are dominated by one of the two fan bases. Instead, there are Bulldogs and Rebels sprinkled together in almost every city, and there's no avoiding the other group.

No. 25 Utah State vs. Idaho

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah State Aggies already have had quite the week.

They went on the road to beat a nationally ranked team in overtime then arrived back in Logan to the cheers of several hundred fans who didn't mind waiting in the rain.

Now, after earning a spot in the AP poll for the first time since 1961, the 25th-ranked Aggies have a chance to make more history in Saturday's regular-season finale at home against Idaho.